Ozone is a highly reactive gas composed of three oxygen atoms. Ozone is an unstable gas that can destroy bacteria and viruses. Ozone can have many different effects on humans depending on where it is in the atmosphere,. Some of these effects can be harmful although some can be good. An excess, or high concentration of ozone in an inclosed area can be quite harmful to humans although in moderation and if used properly ozone can be a safe alternative to disinfecting.

Ozone can be used in the disinfecting process and it has many advantages and disadvantages. Advantages and DisadvantagesOzone is more effective than chlorine in destroying viruses and bacteria and after ozone there are no regrowth microorganisms unlike ultraviolet and chlorine disinfection. Also ozonation, which is a water treatment process that kills microorganisms, increases the dissolved oxygen concentration of the discharged wastewater. The increase in dissolved oxygen can improve the oxygen content of the receiving body of water. Another adcantage is Ozone is generated onsite, and thus, there are fewer safety problems associated with shipping and handling. (2)

On the other hand at higher concentrations ozone can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone (1). Another disadvantage is that ozone is ver reactive due to the weak bond in the extra oxygen molecule so it can react with many of the particles in the air and other surfaces can be easily corroded. Also There is no measurable residual to indicate the efficacy of ozone disinfection. (2)

For consumers a way to naturally purify air is to buy a very low emitting ozone generator although in homes these can be quite dangerous. Ozone home air...

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...Ozone
Danielle Farrar
March 16, 1997
Triatomic oxygen, O3, is most commonly known as ozone. It has a
resonance structure, and can be drawn in two different ways:
O=O- O-O=O
It is a bluish, explosive gas at room temperature, and has a boiling point
of -119°C. It has a melting point of -193°C, and is a blue liquid. It's
critical temperature and pressure are -12.1°C and 53.8 atm, respectively. It
has a pleasant odor in concentrations of less than 2 ppm, and is irritating and
injurious in higher concentrations. The density of ozone gas is 2.144 g/L, and
the density of ozone as a liquid is 1.614 g/mL. It is extremely unstable, and
solutions containing ozone explode upon warming. It is found in varying
proportions on Earth, but it is about 0.05 ppm at sea level.
Ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation in the upper atmosphere, and
protects humans from skin cancer. But ozone is also the main ingredient of smog,
and causes serious health effects and forest and crop damage in the lower
atmosphere. Ozone is formed through the chemical reaction of volatile organic
compounds and nitrogen dioxide, in the atmosphere, in the presence of sunlight.
This reaction is called a photochemical reaction, because sunlight is required.
The product is known as smog. The notorious brownish color of smog is due to
nitrogen dioxide of the mixture. Increased...

...
Ozone Depletion: An Introduction
Planet Earth has its own natural sunscreen that shields us from the sun's damaging ultraviolet radiation. It's called the ozone layer: a fragile band of gases beginning 15 kilometres above our planet, and reaching up to the 40-kilometre level. Human activities have caused a substantial thinning of this protective covering — not only over the North and South Poles, but right over our heads.
Stoppingozone layer depletion is one of the major challenges facing the world today. The stakes are incredibly high. For the ozone layer is truly a "conserver of life," essential to the survival of all living things.
The Stratospheric Ozone Layer
The ozone layer lies in the stratosphere, in the upper level of our atmosphere. The ozone in it is spread very sparsely. In fact, if you could squish the ozone layer to the same air pressure we have at sea level, it would be only about as thick as the sole of your shoe.
Stratospheric ozone filters out most of the sun's potentially harmful shortwave ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This ozone has become depleted, due to the release of such ozone-depleting substances as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). When stratospheric ozone is depleted, more UV rays reach the earth. Exposure to higher amounts of UV radiation could have serious...

...Depletion of the Ozone Layer
* Function and location of the Ozone Layer
The ozone layer is a portion of earth’s atmosphere that contains high levels of ozone. Ozone (O3) is a triatomic molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen. Ozone is formed when oxygen molecules after absorbing ultra violet photon then converts a single O2 into two atomic oxygen radicals. The atomic radicals then combine with separate O2 molecules to create two O3 molecules. The main function of the ozone layer is to absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation. These ozone molecules absorb UV light, following which ozone splits into a molecule of O2 and an oxygen atom. The oxygen atom then joins up with an oxygen molecule to regenerate ozone. The ozone layer is located in one of the five layers called the stratosphere which is located about 10-50 km above the planet. The other layers are the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. Figure 1 shows location of the Ozone layer.
Equation for the formation of Ozone (ultra violet light+ O2 O+O), then (2O+2O2O3)
This Diagram shows the location of the Ozone layer.
* Compounds that deplete the Ozone and their sources
Ozone can be destroyed by a number of free radical catalysts; the most...

...Figure 2: Sample Essay
The Ozone Layer
(1)
PARAGRAPH 1 (DEVELOPED FROM THE CRITICAL QUESTION AND KEY TERMS)
Problems with ozone can teach us about human effects on our environment. The ozone layer
is an invisible layer of gas that shields us from UV radiation. UV radiation is ultraviolet radiation, or
rays of the sun that can harm living things. One problem today is that the protective ozone layer
around the earth is being destroyed (PROBLEM).
(2)
PARAGRAPHS 2, 3 & 4 (DEVELOPED FROM SMALLER SUPPORTING QUESTIONS)
In the past, the ozone layer protected the earth from UV rays. Now, the ozone layer is being
destroyed by CFCs (CAUSE), or chlorofluorocarbons which are chemicals used in products we use
CFCs are used to manufacture cleaning products, foam in plastic containers, refrigerator coolants and
spray cans.
(3)
There are several effects of this destruction (EFFECTS). First, physical harm such as skin
cancer and cataracts can happen. Second, there can be environmental damage to crops and also to
plants in the ocean food chain. Third, weather patterns can be disrupted. In addition, the earth can be
heating up; this is also called the greenhouse effect.
(4)
Several solutions have been tried (SOLUTIONS). First, here have been voluntary cutbacks
on the use of products containing CFCs. For example Macdonald’s stopped using foam containers.
Second,...

...﻿Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related phenomena observed since the late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4% per decade in the total volume of ozone in Earth's stratosphere (the ozone layer), and a much larger springtime decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earth's polar regions. The latter phenomenon is referred to as the ozone hole. In addition to these well-known stratospheric phenomena, there are also springtime polar tropospheric ozone depletion events.
The details of polar ozone hole formation differ from that of mid-latitude thinning, but the most important process in both is catalytic destruction of ozone by atomic halogens. The main source of these halogen atoms in the stratosphere is photodissociation of man-made halocarbon refrigerants (CFCs, freons, halons). These compounds are transported into the stratosphere after being emitted at the surface.Both types of ozone depletion were observed to increase as emissions of halo-carbons increased.
CFCs and other contributory substances are referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Since the ozone layer prevents most harmful UVB wavelengths (280–315 nm) of ultraviolet light (UV light) from passing through the Earth's atmosphere, observed and projected decreases in ozone have generated worldwide concern leading to adoption of the...

...World ozone Day
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed on 16 September every year since 1995. This date has been chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 49/114, to remember the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. The year 2012, also marks the 25th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol.
What is Montreal Protocol?
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to save the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be liable for ozone depletion. The treaty was signed on September 16, 1987, which entered into force on January 1, 1989. It is thought that if the international accord is adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2050.
Ozone layer
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth`s atmosphere, that has relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). It is mainly found in the lower portion of the stratosphere, 15-35km above Earth. The ozone layer was first discovered by Professor Gordon Dobson of Oxford University in 1957.
Significance
The ozone layer is very important to humans and other organisms on Earth as it absorbs biologically harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the sun. Effects...

..."In nature there are neither rewards nor punishmentsthere are consequences."
Robert G. Ingersoll (1833 - 1899)
The ozone layer plays an important role in the atmosphere. It protects life on earth from the full force of the sun's cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation. However, many household products and appliances release substances to the atmosphere that causes the hole in the ozone layer. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used as refrigerants and aerosol spray propellants, is the main cause of ozone depletion. When these chemicals are released into the atmosphere, it is broken down by sunlight and destroys the ozone layer. Ozone depletion may lead to serious problems not only to environment and materials but also in human health.
Effects on human health. Ozone depletion decreases the atmosphere's natural protection from harmful ultraviolet rays and an increase in the risk of health effects. Ultraviolet rays cause nonmelanoma skin cancer, this type of cancer if left untreated, can spread throughout the body causing disfigurement and more serious health problems. Rays can also cause premature aging of the skin which can later on lead to squamous cell carcinoma.
Ozone depletion can lead to cataracts and other eye problems. Cataracts are a form of eye damage in which a loss of transparency in the lens of the eye clouds vision. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness....

...Ozone Depletion
(Author’s name)
(Institutional Affiliation)
Abstract
Environmental issues have been a major consideration in the World today. Many laws and regulations have been made to protect the environment. Conferences and meetings have been held in several countries to discuss the issues (Solomon, et.al, 1987).
Introduction
Ozone depletion refers to the destruction of the stratosphericozone which is caused by various factors. It happens when the layer has been negatively affected severely and it takes time (Dobson, 2005). This causes the ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth through the ozone hole causing many impacts on marine ecosystem, human beings and on crops. Ozone depletion is mainly as a result of the green house gases.
This paper is going to focus on the causes, impacts, possible solutions and the relation of ozone depletion to Saint Leo core values of respect and responsible stewardship.
Ozone Depletion
Ozone depletion can be caused when the balance between the natural production and destruction of the stratospheric ozone is affected (Dobson, 2005). Despite this, an5thropogewnic causes are taken as the main causes of the depletion at the moment. It is believed that the natural phenomenon causes a temporary destruction but Chlorine and Bromine released as CFCs have...